


New Friends

by Weresnake



Category: Barry (TV 2018)
Genre: Gen, barrys mental health is gonna take a swan dive just you wait, because you know what barry needs? another bad influence, mentions of gore but its not explicately there, this started as crack but then i really liked this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-10-26 05:31:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20736989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weresnake/pseuds/Weresnake
Summary: “You two are in this... Partnership, where you catch bad guys and sometimes eat them?” Barry says, his gaze flicking between the soft brown eyes of Brocks and the mass of Venoms face protruding from its bind around him. “Like that’s a hobby?” He adds.“Yes.” Both answer in unison. Brock looks at Venom and shrugs, “we don’t always eat the bad guys though. Only if they fit a punishment far worse then what the justice system can offer.”‘Or if I’m starving.’ The symbiote adds, licking its chops.Its then that he sees the lightbulb flicker on in recognition. The pieces slotting together as for why Barry was being prodded at before by the oddly attractive mess of a journalist as well as why he’s here now. His back straightens up against the chair as far as he can go and his breathing slows. His expression turns completely stone-faced.“That’s enough about us though." Brock says, "What about you?”An au (crossover?) where Venom finds Barry as well.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If yall want a person to shout some thots about Barry at, my tumblr is WizardbonertheThird because ive been watching the show too much

It was just like another night after class where the air was cool and the world was just a little quieter. Barry and the others pile out and discuss the usual plans of hanging out at the bar to maybe drink a bit and dance a little more but the killer for hire hangs behind the crowd. If Sally had paid any more attention, she likely would have noticed him acting a tad stranger then his usual self. As they all left, he watched them go their way and pull out the wad of notes he kept in his pocket. On one paper was the address to some shmuck Hank wanted strangled (to frame as an auto-erotic-asphyxiation accident? He still wasn’t sure on the details…) On the other were notes about a possible musical bit they wanted to try. Gene mentioned a musical called Chicago that he could play the protagonists husband in. It almost sounded fun if it wasn’t for the singing bit. 

He bites his inner cheek as he pulls a video clip from the musicals movie to watch, doubt clawing at his stomach but then, he almost misses it. The small mewl of a kitten.  
His eyes snap to meet curious yellow dots shining in the dark. Barry stuffs the papers away and kneels down slowly, his head cocked at an angle. 

“Mewww.” The cat lurking in the dark drawls in the same sweet voice. 

“Hey buddy?” He murmurs. “Looking for something?” He didn’t have anything to offer except maybe a quick chin scratching or some string but he couldn’t deny the cuteness of an animal.  
The next thing he notices when the cat presents itself into the light is the inky black fur as its stalking towards him. Then there’s the eyes fixed on his. They were yellow, no, bone white and blank as paper. The cat makes another noise, but its noticeably less like a meow. A noise that claws itself deep from the throat of something wrong and cruel. Its mouth flashes needle teeth far scarier then any breed he ever encountered. Maybe it was one of those designer breeds? Was a genetics lab missing their little Frankenstein’s monster?

He sucks in a breath but remains still as it presses its head into the palm of his hand. Something felt very wrong with this thing. There was an eerie sensation to petting it instead of the softness one might expect from a cat. It turned its head to him and made a long noise like the bellow of a croc. 

Barry couldn’t tell if it was a cat once, or if it never was. 

Then, he sees someone run towards him from the direction the cat(?) came from. “Hey, Venom, buddy? That’s a big no. Don’t do that-“

Despite how alarmed the man looked, Barry hesitated from pulling his eyes away from the approaching strangers pretty face. The pretty eyes, those pouty lips pulled in a frown and saying something about a Venom. Is that the cats name? He looks down at it again but immediately understands exactly why this creature was so wrong. A thick black mass with massive eyes stares back, its body crouched down like a beast about to pounce and for a split second he thought he could see a smile on its monstrous face. 

Then, nothing. Blank.

“Venom! What did I fucking say?” Eddie exclaims with both hands on his head. The person stumbles for a minute, then rights itself as Venom takes hold. The eyes are completely white and a vacant look on the poor mans face.

_‘Don’t do that’_ Venom croons back. _‘Oops.’ _

“Get out of him.” Eddie presses. “He’s just some innocent guy.” 

_‘Is he now?’_ The knowing grin grows wider on the strangers mouth. _‘Because you and I both know he isn’t. You remember reading the police reports of a murdered cop and the other odd deaths happening lately and as much as you believe in innocence until proven guilty, I can assure you he’s absolutely evil just by shifting through the memories in his head.’_

Eddie sighs. 

Venom, still possessing the man, walks to Eddie and it makes him shiver. It looked no different than sleepwalking, but just wrong in every way. If the parasite was right about this man being a monster who murders, there still is one itty bitty detail left. This Barry guy didn’t sign up to being twirled around by an alien like some…. Meat puppet, and him waking up to this situation would do nothing better. However, if Venom isn’t going to budge on exiting, then he needed to get this guy someplace better to talk this over with. 

“Whatever, just have him follow close and we’ll take him to my place ok? I don’t want you killing him.” 

_‘Awww, little Eddie is getting attached. Can I at the very least snack on some fatty tissue of his?’_

_ _“No.” _ _

_‘Not even a bite of liver? Most of it grows back readily anyways…’ _

_ _“Venom-“ _ _

_ _ _‘Fiiiiine.’_ The alien whines, contorting its hosts face into a glum expression. Both walk toward Eddies motorbike and climb on. He didn’t feel so sure about the strangers arms holding onto him from behind, but the dark sinewy strands of Venom holding on as well felt a tad bit better. He rides off into the street with his helmet latched on. _ _

_ _“Why did you have to do that to him anyways, you know this throws a whole wrench in our plans!” Eddie hisses. _ _

Venom sneers. _‘This is much faster. You would’ve taken weeks of just hovering by him, pretending to be some journalist from an important paper.’_

_ _“HE CAN KILL US.” _ _

_ __ _

_‘Not if I kill him first.’_ They alien grins wider. _‘It would be disappointing, sure, but a meals a meal.’_ Eddie groans. 

He parks the motorcycle outside the current motel they’re staying in and head in. Venom slows down in pace and leans against the wall for a second. 

“You alright there?” Eddie asks warily. 

_‘Keeping someone in a sleeping state isn’t easy.’_ Venom growls. In the dim lighting, Eddie can see black veins now bulging slightly in exertion and a line of sweat coating skin. The eyes blink a bit rapidly and then relax into a vacant stare again as does the rest of the body. Eddie keeps a hand on the persons shoulder and guides him into the room so they can sit down. Immediately, Venom begins oozing out of the persons skin and fastening him to the chair in a thick bind. Eddie watches the body grow limp, and he can hear the faint breathing of the sleeping man. He bit his thumb trying to think of what to say. Should he start with the questioning and then having Venom consume him if her were evil? The thought did't jive well with Eddie. When they came down here to investigate the murders, both believed something that efficient in killing wasn't human. But, what he found instead was just some guy taking classes in acting. He had to study him closer just to make sure he was looking at the right target. There was no way in his mind someone so awkward and kind could be the killer, or so Eddie assumed. For Venom, this only perked its interest in Barry more. That someone so average could murder so efficiently and then continue on with the deceiving double life. 

Eddie jumps in surprise as Barry jerks awake. Barry's head swivels in every direction until both startled eyes meet his. 

“Uh, hi.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back by popular demand, heres another chap.   
Now, i need to know this for research reasons but how many of you wouldnt mind Eddie/barry? because i def like the idea f these traumatized softies being a thing with venom how having... wait for it.. TWO husbands!   
i guess it all depends if that kinda thing feels natural enough in the fic...

“So. Let me get this straight…” 

Eddies eyes have been focused squarely on Barry the entire time, both to make sure the guy was paying attention to the explaining (the journey his face went through was golden, yes) but to also somehow piece together if Barry was really a stone-cold killer. He sure looked the part, yet at times when he would pipe up to ask a question he sounded small and well… awkward.   
Though Eddie could guess anyone would be acting this awkward if this was how they found out aliens are very much real and look nothing close to little green men. 

“You two are in this... Partnership, where you catch bad guys and sometimes eat them?” Barry says, eyes flicking between the soft brown eyes and the mass of Venoms face protruding from its bind around him. “Like that’s a hobby??” He adds. 

“Yes.” Both answer in unison. Eddie looks at Venom and shrugs, “we don’t always eat the bad guys though. Only if they fit a punishment far worse then what the justice system can offer.”  
‘Or if I’m starving.’ The symbiote adds, licking its chops. 

Its then that he sees the lightbulb flicker on in recognition. The pieces slotting together as for why Barry was being prodded at before by Eddie as well as why he’s here now. His back straightens up against the chair as far as he can go and his breathing slows. His expression turns completely stone-faced.  
“That’s enough about us though. What about you?” 

“I… “ Barry swallows, and looks at his lap. “My name is Barry Berkman, and I was a soldier who fought in Afghanistan until I got out. My uncle took me in and gave me purpose in contract killing, I was really good at it too.” Another pause, in the moment he feels like the bulk of his life is being weighed on a scale with his beating heart on the other end, hanging in the balance. “But, I discovered this acting class and I’ve been trying to make myself a better person because of it. I’ve made plenty of friends and more.” 

Visibly trembling, Barry looks as earnestly as he can at Eddie. No pleading eyes, no begging. Just acceptance of whatever follows. Brock drinks in his face, his vulnerability here. For someone who kills so efficiently and mechanically, he looked calm and ready to face their judgement. He also feels his cheeks burn. 

‘You failed.’ Venom sneers as their jaws widen. 

“No! Venom!” Eddie yells, grabbing the symbiotes face to pull away. Barry turned a few shades whiter at the verdict as Venom whines. 

‘He’s fascinating, yes, but I’m starving.’ Venom turns to its dearest. 

“I know someone worse you can eat.” Barry snaps quickly and a bit anxiously. “My uncle Fuches is the bastard that uses me like his hunting dog. If you want to go after and eat someone, he’s a better candidate.” 

A strong beat of silence follows. Both Venom and Brock give each other a look, then Venom growls low. 

‘Give us a second.’ They say as they’re dark mass pulls away from Barry into Eddie. 

He shivers visibly at the feeling of something withdraw from every part of him. There was hardly any time at all him to even process what it felt like to have thousands of a collective organism living in him.

“You get used to it,” Eddie gives an apologetic smile and goes to the kitchen area of the motel room. 

Barry rubs his arms to warm them and contemplates how he’s going to explain this to him. Or maybe he’ll just force Fuches away from the area before Eddie and his monstrous cohort find him. The less explaining, the better, Barry decided with a slow blink. He just wasn’t sure what the two will do when they catch on that he had been stalling them. Thinking about possible traps he could ensnare the alien in, he snaps back to the present as he catches Eddie walking back. 

“So… We’ve decided that, maybe you do deserve the second chance.” Eddie starts. “At the end of the day, you were just a weapon that didn’t know better, right?”   
“Y-Yes.”

“Ok, then. That’s cool, but I’m not gonna just let you go just yet.” Eddie says.

Barrys smile drops. 

“Venom wants to hitch a ride on you until we find Fuches and dispose of him.” Eddie holds his hands out. “Which isn’t nearly as bad as what you were experiencing earlier. They were just keeping you in a state that prevented you from waking up. This will be just cohabiting with some weird side-effects.” 

“Side-effects?” A bewildered Barry utters back. 

“Yeah. Like, you’ll be feverish and sickly at first, then you’re going to feel super hungry but only certain foods are going to taste any good.” Eddie holds out each finger as he’s listing the symptoms off. “Oh, and you’ll be putting up with Venom on top of it.”

‘Putting up with?? Is that what you think of me?’ Venom hisses. 

“Having a ravenous organism talking in your head can be grating.” Eddie continues, pointedly ignoring Venom. “They will gladly heal any wounds or illness and you will get the best sleep.”   
“Is that all?” Barry mutters, still a bit wary. 

“Pretty much all I can think of, what do you say?” He offers his hand out and feels it grow heavy with Venoms presence. Taking the hand meant inviting the alien as well. Not that Barry had much of a choice at this point. He takes it, and immediately feels his arm twitch involuntarily from Venom flowing from Eddie to him. 

“Guh, is it always like this?” Barry grimaces while flexing his hand. 

“Not always. Make sure you eat a buttload of starchy foods and sugar so you don’t get as sick from having something literally feeding off you in the beginning. Venom does adore chocolate, so take advantage of that.” Eddie replies with a bashful smile. An odd feeling passes through him as he continues in his thoughts ‘make sure they get three meals a day and no head biting unless its absolutely deserved. Also make sure they don’t get into anything they shouldn’t be in, capice?’ 

“Will do.” Barry gets up and grips the back of his chair from swaying for a second. Eddie has his hands out as well to steady him but the hands just hover. 

“Are we good?” 

“…Yeah. I think” 

“Good. Take care of yourself, if you need me you can ask Venom for my number and we can talk whenever.” 

Barry straightens himself up and nods awkwardly. “One more thing?”

“Yeah?” 

“Thanks. For believing me and giving the second chance.” He admits quietly. 

Brocks eyes widen. For a moment, he feels horrible for holding this guy hostage and scaring him into the current situation. “Oh no problem, me and Venom are just trying to do our best with what we’ve been given, you know?” 

“That’s fair, yeah.” His hand rises to rub the back of his neck as he thinks harder about their arrangement. 

‘This isn’t rocket science Barry. We just want to be good but not in the way you are doing so with the spineless approach.’ Venom grumbles in his head, making him jump visibly. 

“I’ll be heading on my way now then.” He says out loud to Eddie, looking for the exit. Eddie laughs lightly and leads him out. 

“Stay safe.” 

“I… I know.” Barry replies awkwardly while shuffling past the door. “Bye.”

“Bye”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry and Venom discuss some things, Brock checks in because he's getting some itchy separation anxiety like some poor lost pup. Also a pinch of foreshadowing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey yall, I should be sleeping right now but im hopped up on hot cheetos. I know this chapter meanders a bit but we get some good fucking interactions here. Honestly, barry holding his ground against Venom feels like that video of a cat swatting at some mountain lion on somebody's porch

Walking through the streets made his paranoia spike higher knowing of the alien clinging under his skin. Barry already had enough to hide as it was, what with all the police still investigating the “disappearance” of Moss as well as the many deaths that were being looked into as well. Now, he was the hesitant host of a collective that answers to the call of ‘Venom’. Bile hiked up his throat as he feels sickness just how Brock described wash over him. Barry scowled at the sidewalk he was striding along, ears checking every shadow he passes. ‘Ya know, most people keep a cat or dog when they get lonely.’ 

_'Eddie isn’t most people.'_ A voice close but with no physical source grumbles and Barry leaps in the air. 

“God- Fuck man, don’t do that.” He mutters out loud as he stops to calm the heart rattling in his chest. 

_'Apologies, Barry. I just couldn’t help myself to your musings.'_ Venom answers jovially. Barry’s blood turns icy. ‘Oh so you can read my thoughts.’ He thinks with his lips drawn in tight, thin lines. Of fucking course it can, of-fucking-course he gets an alien that can read his every thought, because between Fuches keeping him on a leash and the Hank intruding him at every opportunity what he didn’t need any more was the privacy of just his mind. 

_‘That I can do Barry, but I don’t read my hosts mind out of obsession. I only do it out of utility…’_ Barry notices the voice turn gentle, making him switch back to anxious instead of mad, _'….and concern.'_

“Still though, can we set up boundaries? If you want anything accomplished, I suggest we draw some lines in the sand.” He decides to respond out loud as he starts walking again. Venom hums in approval and they discuss (or argue) on the way to Barry’s apartment. By the time he steps in, exhaustion hits his limbs and no amount of bickering could distract it anymore. “And whatever you do.” Barry concludes on the discussion. “Don’t go rooting around in my head for any memories.” 

_‘….Of course.’_ If they had a mouth present Venom would be lying through their teeth with it. 

Upon entering his room, Barry almost collapses on his bed and weakly curls on his side. Everything felt too warm and his head was mostly tv static now. He groans as his phone begins ringing in the dark room but makes no effort to answer. The blades of the ceiling fan spin lazily and the occasional sound of cars driving by can be heard in the distance. Sleep overtakes him swiftly and without any resistance. It almost feels like he hardly slept at all when his eyes peal open. There’s a heaviness to his body he can’t quite pin except that it feels like he got steamrolled by a speeding semi. When he finally climbs out of bed, he steadies himself while shuffling to the bathroom, he hears the phone ring again and shuffles back to get to it. 

“Hey.” His voice comes out groggy and hoarse. 

“Barry! How are things?” voice asks in a tone that sounds surprised to hear him and he has to wrack his brain to identify it. 

“….Brock?” He half guesses. Then the nights events come drifting back lazily, along with a throbbing headache and a gnawing hunger that makes him want to empty a fridge or two. 

“Yeah!” 

“I’m fine I guess.” Barry grumbles in response. “Have I told you I don’t really care for your friend?” 

“This is the second or third time I think, yeah.” Eddie responds back. “Venom knows how to be a better guest than the others he came with, some of them would just let their hosts burn out or explode and crawl to the next victim but Venoms a good guy.” Brock nervously rambles and Barry rubs his tired face with his free hand.

“Lucky me.” He dryly answers as he half listens but screams when his eyes catch something horrific in the mirror. His phone clatters to the ground as he ducks away from the monster he briefly saw. Eddies voice on the phone can be heard but very faintly over the sound of Venoms dark chuckling filling his head. 

‘Good morning Barry. Did you rest well?’ 

“You need to cut that shit out Venom, I’m not going to repeat this again.” He says, but this time the blood in him really does boils, and it shows just in his tone. In every way he knew he was outmatched and in no position whatsoever to take on something that he couldn’t shoot, strangle, or blow up but he was just fed up enough to start plotting a way to get the monster out of him. Brocks voice keeps anxiously chattering on his phone resting on the floor but other then that not another sound could be heard as the two quietly weigh eachother in a metaphorical stare down. With the steady inward and outward drawing of breath, he gathers himself and picks up the phone to continue his conversation with Brock. 

“Hey, sorry about that.” He says while his hand rubs the back of his neck. 

“Oh! What happened?” The gentle voice asks. 

“Just laying some ground rules still with your friend is all.” With the phone pressed to his ear, he heads to the kitchen for something to eat. “Uh, so about the food thing” 

“You mean the cravings? Those ought to be hitting you at the moment. When I was just infected, I just about became some wild animal ravaging the kitchen for anything that didn’t taste horrible. Things wont taste like they normally do when you have Venom either. I even went through the garbage and ate an old rotisserie chicken carcass I threw out the other day…” 

With most of his attention focused on Eddies voice his hands move mostly on their own as they dig through the fridge and freezer to pile anything that looked decent on a plate. Occasionally he did break his focus on Eddie to gag at the smell of the old milk jug he opens while on autopilot or question why he has a potato held up to his mouth as if he’s about to take a bite out of it similar to what one would do to an apple, but then he notices the dark veins in his wrist again. Glowering at the offending hand, he puts the potato back down and settles for the mess of a breakfast he has messily cobbled together. 

“You really went ham on the syrup, didn’t you.” He mutters, which quiets Brock. 

“Whah? Oh yeah, they love chocolate. Can’t get enough of the stuff.”

“I can see certainly see that.” Barry pokes at the toast drenched in the syrup balanced with raw eggs (with the shells sprinkled on), a handful of raw ground beef he was saving for tacos and all sorts of leftovers piled on. 

“Yep, good times. Ok, I gotta get a move on and write a rough draft on a story I’ve been digging into. Call me whenever if something pops up or if you get that Fuches guy. Ok?” 

Barry grunts while poking at the mess on his plate and with that answer his phone is finally silent. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a familiar black mass ooze out and onto the table. 

“Have you heard of thinking with your stomach? Because there’s no way this is going in me.” 

_‘Oh please, Barry. I’ve made far worse meals then this.’_ Venom drawls as they greedily dig in. _'Nothing will likely ever beat the taste of a humans crunchy but soft head, but this will do quite nicely.’___

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He gives a pained half-smile. 

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“So, uh… what planet do you come from then?” 

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_‘Its nowhere close to your system. Your world is safe from the system of symbiotes that I came from.’_ Venom unhinges its jaw and swallows another bite of food, making Barry’s stomach curdle. 

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“That’s uh… That’s good. Did you have hosts of your own on that home planet?” 

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There’s a thoughtful moment, then: _‘No. That was an adaptation to this planets harsh conditions.'_

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Now that was a trippy thought, he mused. Here this sentient, possibly more advanced thing adjusting to its environment with far better grace than a human but in trying to survive this world it grows reliant on the very thing that can’t hold its breathe longer then a minute. Not only that, but as far as he now knows, there's a whole fucking planet of them. He needed a drink, or perhaps someone to talk to so that he doesn’t outright lose his mind. Faking idleness, he checks his watch and recalls the email he got the other night saying that class had been moved to earlier in the day. Getting back to his acting never quite felt like a sweeter escape then now. 

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“Right, so before we get on with hunting Fuches down like the bastard that he is and killing him, I have stuff to practice with Sally and a class to sit through, alright?” 

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The face of venoms licks the plate clean and turns to him. _‘Are you asking that I should lay low until then?’_

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“Absolutely.” 

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_‘Hm…’_ Venom flicks its tongue out like a snake tasting the air and slowly withdraws back into Barrys skin. _‘I could arrange that...’_

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‘Damn right you will’, Barry thinks darkly as he gets ready for his class soon. ‘I am nowhere near in the mood for E.T killing, I just want this arrangement to be over.’

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End file.
